Operations Excellence Manager

Description

As an important member of the Dakota Bodies Business team, you will lead the development and execution of the continuous improvement strategy across the DB Truck Beds Business Unit. Preferred Candidate will have five years of Plant or General Manager experience and 5 years implementing CI in a manufacturing environment.

You will leverage your Operation Excellence and Plant management experience to provide strategy deployment and lean operating systems structure to meet the site’s short- and long-term goals for improved quality performance, increased customer service levels and reduced COGS, contributing to operational efficiency improvements and EHS performance. The OPEX Manager is responsible for building site level goals and execution plans in support of the Manufacturing Value Streams and other support functions of the Business. Close working relationships and consensus building are required with all other Site management staff. This position reports directly to the Director of Operations.

Duties and Responsibilities

You will:

• Establish and maintain a site-wide culture of continuous improvement and Operations Excellence including Site Leadership.
• Lead site-wide cost reduction program targeted at reducing operational costs by 3-5% yearly.
• Develop mechanisms and lead initiatives and events to help the organization identify improvement opportunities that reduce/eliminate non-value-added activities within production and business processes, (such as 5S, Visual Management, Daily Management Systems, Process Controls and Root Cause Analysis)
• Manage Operational Excellence training programs and events throughout the site (DMAIC, A3 Problem-Solving, First-Time Quality, etc.) assuring training and events support site goals for continuous improvement.
• Supports and engages in Plant KPI’s including Safety, Quality, Delivery, and Cost and Innovation
• Ensure OPEX fully supports EHS efforts site-wide assuring achievement of site level goals and continuous improvement driving “best in class” results.
• Short Term Establish QC (quality control) that is consistent and standardized for each product family.
• Long Term Create a QA (quality assurance) culture, with a goal of zero defects.
• Lead our Quality System Framework in conjunction with Operations Management.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

EDUCATION/CERTIFICATION

Bachelor’s degree in engineering or technical discipline plus Black Belt certification or equivalent plus 7 years of relevant experience in operations/manufacturing with 5 years of managerial experience.

Preferred Skills & Experience

• Master’s degree
• Process improvement and cost savings success
• Solid understanding of Engineering, Project Management, Lean Principles, Financial acumen.
• Ability to manage cross functionally with direct and indirect influence.
• Ability to Coach and facilitate individually and at the large-scale level.
• Advanced skills in statistical software packages
• OPEX/Lean Six Sigma/PMI certifications

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Light work: Exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or lift, carry, push, pull, or move objects.

VISUAL ACUITY

The worker is required to have close visual acuity to perform an activity such as; preparing and analyzing date and figures; transcribing; viewing a computer terminal; extensive reading; visual inspection involving small defects, small parts and or operation of machines including measurement devices and/or assembly or fabrication of parts at distance close to the eyes.

WORK CONDITIONS

The worker is subject to inside environmental conditions: protection from weather conditions but not necessarily from temperature change.  The worker is subject to noise:  There is sufficient noise to cause a worker to shout to be heard above ambient noise level.

Travel up to 25%